Junior Boys at the Middle East

I hadn't been too familiar with Junior Boys aside from their pivotal electropop album So This is Goodbye released in 2006. Therefore, I wasn't quite sure what to expect when I went to see them on November 2, 2009 at the Middle East in Cambridge, MA. What I got was an unexpectedly enticing mix of chill yet danceable electronic indie rock. I know that's a lot of adjectives being thrown your way but it aptly describes the group's unique sound.

They caught my ear right from the start with "Parallel Lines", a song that I now listen to on an almost daily basis. Having not previously heard the song, I was surprised by its R&B influenced groove and soulful vocals sung by band leader Jeremy Greenspan. From the moment he sang "If you found the words, would you really say them?", I was absolutely hooked. The group covers a large range of emotions through their songs and often compliments them with heartfelt lyrics. The song can be found on their latest album Begone Dull Care from which they played other standouts such as the more accessible and bouncy "Hazel". I had read mixed reviews about the record so I didn't pay much attention to it until after I saw them live. I have to say that is it going unnecessarily overlooked and is a fine addition to the other prominent electronic albums of 2009. Grab it below and decide for yourself. Don't forget to purchase a copy if it tickles your fancy.

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The band didn't speak much aside from addressing a drunk girl who kept screaming "It's my birthday" to state "You know we have a song called 'Birthday'". They continued their set performing songs drenched in dance breaks that had the entire audience moving and supplemented those tracks with dreary ballads. So This is Goodbye has always been a very depressing yet introspective album to me and hearing the tracks live really added power to them. The classic "In the Morning" sounded fantastic live and had all the glitchy electronic flourishes and hard-hitting beats of the recorded version. It was clearly the track everyone was there to hear and got quite the reaction from the crowd. They ended with the somber So This is Goodbye closer "FM". I was surprised at how much I enjoyed myself and would recommend anyone catching a show if they get the chance. Get So This is Goodbye below and make sure to support the band when you get the chance.

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